Control box for fire extinguisher systems



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Aug. 29, 1944.

c. A. GETz ETAI.

CONTROL BOX FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30', 1941 i is Uha'res 4.06112 EwardKKuhles @www Aug. 29, 1944. c. A. GETz Erm.

V CONTROL BOX FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 30, 1941 31 Charles A Getz LA I M Patented Aug. 29, 1944 CONTROLBOX FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTEMS Charles A. Getz, Glen Ellyn, and Edward K.

Kuhles, Wilmette, Ill., assignors, by-mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corpora-` tion, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of the United States pplication August 30, 1941, Serial No. 409,086

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in control boxes employed as a part of fire extinguishing systems.

Control boxes are used as a part of certain xed re extinguishing systems, installed in buildings or on other types of properties, to house control devices, Vsuch as electric switches, etc. These devices must be placed at strategic locations relative to the hazard or hazards to be f protected and usually are employed as remote,

`without detection. Forthat reason, this type of control box must be-constructed so that access to the device housed therein may be obtained quickly and easily when the` system Vmust be placed in operation, but so Vthat access cannot be obtained without destroying some part of the box which must be replaced by a person having the proper authority.'

Another essential feature of this type of unit is that the control device protected by the box must be visible at all times although it is inaccessible, so to speak. This ability 'to see the enclosed control device is important because the most practical vunits of this type require tWo manual operationstoaccomplish the desired result; rst,lgaining access to the interior of the `boxzand, second, actuating the control device. lf the enclosed device is not visible, the person having the occasion-to initiate the operation of the re extinguishing ksystem may perform the rst step and then rush away to take care of some other matter, not remembering, in his excitement, that there was Ya concealed control device that must be actuated.

The barring o-f meddlers by a destructible box part and the desired visibility of the enclosed instrument may be obtained by placing a transparent, fracturable plate in'a Window opening formed in the cover of the control box. This plate should be arranged in front of the enclosed control device and destruction of the same should be necessary before the device can be reached for actuation. Y

I-t is the usual practice to provide control boxes `with hammers, of one designor another, to be used in'y destroying the l' customarytransparent plates which bar access to the control devices.

These hammers-originally are attached to the boxes by light chains. 1n the course of the months or years that most systems of this type remain idle before they are called Iupon to. ex-

tinguish a fire, it is not difficult'for the hammers to become detached and lost. Such a loss makes it necessary for the person vwho lis desirous of starting the operation of the ysystem to locate some other object which is suitable for delivering a destructive blow to the fracturable plate. Regardlessof whatinstrument is actually used to destroy lthe plate, fragments of the same invariably are left in the Window opening, and it is almost impossible to reach through the opening to actuate the control devi-ce Without being injured by the jagged edges of said fragments. In certain types of properties it' is necessary to employy control boxes in locations'wherea considerable amount of moisture is present,`either intermittentlycr continuously. AInsuch cases it is necessary to provide control boxes whichgwill house the electric control devices -in moisture proof chambers o-r compartments sothat all danger of short-circuiting -willbe avoided. Y

It is the primary objectof'this invention to provide a control box for iixedrre extinguish- `Ving systems 'which houses a controldevic'e in such a manner that access may be obtained quickly and easily When'necessaryj Whichemploys a single transparent, fracturable-plate for exposing the enclosed control device to View and for preventing access Without detection; andwhich includes means for fracturing'the said plate and removing all broken fragments from theopening normallyclosed by theplate'so that a person may reach the control device Without danger of being injured.

A more specific object of the vinvention is to provide controldevi'ce's' of the abovementioned type which rinclude aisingle, manually operable element which, in being moved from its 'normal position into a fully operated position, will fracture the transparent plate and will's'weep all oi the broken fragments of the plate from theopening normally closed by said plate.

A still further specific object of the invention is -to provide a box construction Whichlis adapted for housing the manuallyoperableelectric control devices of fixed re extinguishing systems in sealed chambers lor compartments .sov that 'short-circuiting, due to an accumulation of moisture, will not take, placev Yto cause a-.false operation of the system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the fire extinguisher system control box embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical. sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig, 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the same section line as Fig. 2,

but illustrating different stages of the operation of a transparent, plate fracturing and removing element,

Figure 4 is a detail, rear elevational view of the transparent plate fracturing and removing element illustrated in Fig. 3,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of this element.

Figure 6 is a similar View to Fig. 2 but illustrates a modified form of control box construction, and

Figure '7 is a detail, front elevational view of the transparent plate fracturing and removing element in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown the preferred embodiments of this invention,land first specically referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the reference character 5 designates in its entirety the main body portion of the control box. 'Ihis box includes a bottom wall 6, a rear wall 1, side walls 8, and a depressed top wall 9. The front wall of the box is formed by'a cover I0 which is hinged at II to the bottom Wall 6 and is normally retained in its closed position by screws I2 located at its two upper corners.

The lowerportion of the back wall 'I has a suitable number of threaded apertures I3 formed therein to receive the mounting screws I4 for a suitable push button type of electric switch I5 which includes the operating button I6. It will be. noted by inspecting Figs. 2 and 3 that the outer face of this actuating button I6 is located J'ust inside the box cover I A suitable number of mounting posts vII are grouped around the electric switch I5 and function to support a centrally apertured plate I8 which surrounds the operating button I6 for the switch. This plate acts as a shield to prevent the person who depresses the operating button I6 from contacting any electrically energized partsof the switch I5.

The top wall 9 of the box is depressed to form a pocket for receiving the holder or mount I9 for the red, glass globe 20. An electric light is mounted within the holder I9 and the globe 20 and is electrically connected to a porcelain socket or receptacle 2| which is located inwardly of the depressed top wall 9. This wall is centrally apertured at 22 for accommodating the portion of the electric light bulb which passes from the globe 20 into the socket or receptacle 2|.

A suitable lamp guard 23 has its base 24 socketed in the pocket-formed by the depressed top wall 9. This guard is suitably secured in place' by the fastener 25. Fig. 1 discloses this guard 23 as having the word Fire formed therein by cutting away appropriate parts of the front wall of the guard.

Suitable electric wire admitting openings, not shown, may be formed in any of the bottom, rear, or side walls of the main box part 5. The wires will be used to complete electric control circuits with the switch I5. The electric lamp, not shown, housed within the globe 20, will be suitably connected to such wires, and this bulb either may be constantly energized to assist one in locating the control box in the dark or, if preferred, it may be energized only as a result of actuation of the switch I5 to initiate the operation of the xed fire extinguisher system which is controlled by the switch I5,

The vcover I0 is provided with an opening which is defined at its top by the edge 26, see Fig. 2, and at its bottom by the edge 2l, see Figs. 1 and 2. The side edges are designated by the reference character 28 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Hinge ears 29 are located at the two lower corners of this cover opening. The central vertical planes of these hinge ears are located approximately in line with the side edges 28 of the opening and,

because of that fact, the said hinge ears project l slightly laterally inwardly of these said side edges. Located on the rear face of this cover I0, and below the hinge ears 29, are two shoulders 30. The upper edges of these shoulders are located below the bottom edge 21 of the said cover opening.

A transparent, fracturable plate, which may be formed of glass', is located in the lower portion of the cover opening and is designated by the reference character 3l. The fracturable plate Is adapted to rest on the top edges of the shoulders 35. This places the bottom edge of the fracturable plate below the bottom edge 21 of the cover opening. The horizontal dimension of this fracturable plate approximately correspondswith the distance between the two side edges 28 of the cover opening and this plate width will cause the lower edge portions to lie in back of the portions of the two hinge ears 29 which extend laterally inwardly of the side edges 28 of the opening. By inspecting Fig. Y1, it will be seen, therefore, thatthe fracturable plate is supported against movement frontwardlyout of the opening by the lower margin of the cover opening and by the portions of the hinge ears 29 which project inwardly of the side edges 28 of the cover opening. To prevent the fracturable plate 3I from moving inwardly, two side straps 32 are secured to the back of the cover, the lower ends being attached to the shoulders 3l), to overlie the side edge portions of the iracturable plate and engage the rear face of said plate.

A pull lever 33 is adapted to be pivotally attached to the hinge ears 29, carried by the cover I0. To accomplish this pivotal mounting, hinge ears 34 are formed on depending branches 35 of this lever. Figs. 1 and2 clearly disclose these branches as being arranged at the side portions of the lever and spaced from each other to expose a part of the fracturable plate 3I and to fully disclose the front face of the operating button I6 for the switch I5. Above the edge 35, the lever 33 is solid throughout its width.

This solid upper portion of the lever is depressed or olf-set inwardly at 38, see Figs. 2 and 3, to provide a depression to receive the finger tips of the person operating the lever. A gripping edge 39 is formed as a part of the top portion of the lever, and this edge projects forwardly of the front face of the cover I0. A marginal fiange 4U is formed along both sides of and the .top of the lever to overlap the marginal portion of the cover opening to limit inward pivotal movement of the lever relative to the cover. A spring pressed detent 4I is suitably mounted on the inner be'bridged by the lower part of the cover.

face 'ofthe cover II) and -is adapted to. engage in f a` depression 42 vformed-in the upper end portion -of the'lever '33' to retain the lever-in its normal position. r

Figs. 2 and 3 disclosezthe spaced hinge ears 34 of the lever as Y,being formed with relatively short i projections 43 which are arranged below the pivot `pins 44 that pivotally connect rtheV `two sets of hinge 'ears 29 .and 34. projections 437 normallyare out4 of engagement witnthe fracturable. plate 3|l but are adapted to ,engage this plate after but slight movement of These two laterally spaced the lever 33 about the pivot pins 44. .This engagement ofthe projections' 43 with the fracturable plate causes the plate to be broken, as is .illustrated inlig.` 3.

. Figs. 2 to4 5; inclusive, clearly illustrate a. plate or arm.45 as extending inwardly and downwardly `of ythe rear of the lever; 33. This arm or plate Vhas its depending portion lying in back of the Vfracturable plate 3| and is cutaway at 46 to straddle the switch operating button I6. As the lever33A is swung outwardlybeyond the point where the projections 43 fracture the plate 3 I, the depending part of the arm or plate 45 engages the fracturable plate 3I-'and sweeps the broken `portions of this plate outwardly through the openingV formed in the cover I9. As the lever 33 swingsdownwardly into its lowermost position, the opening formed in the bottom portion of the lever between the branches 35 and the edge 36 will angular plate or arm 45 will then project forwardly and upwardly relative to the front face of the cover and will cooperate with this front face tol form a pocket to collect and hold at least the larger pieces of the fra'cturable plate 3l which have been swept from the-cover opening by the lever.

As was previously pointed out, the shoulders Y 29 form rests for the two lower corners of the fracturable plate 3 I This retains the lower edge of the plate below the lower edge of the cover opening, represented by the character 21. These two lower corners of the fracturable plate 3l are clamped between the rear straps 32 and the backs of the hinge ears 29. Above these hinge ears, the side edges of the fracturable plate 3I are only backed kup by the straps 32. No support is provided in front of these side edges in this upper region of the plate.

As the lever 33 is swung outwardly about its pivot pins 44, the projections 43- very promptly engage the two lower corner portions of the fracturable plate, in the regions where the plate is the pieces of the fracturedr glass, or transparent plate, 3I and will sweep these broken pieces entirely outwardly'of the opening formed in the cover I0. As lthe upper, side edge portions of this plate 3l are not supported against outward I movement, no difficulty will be experienced in sweeping Vthe fragments out of the cover opening.

` By inspecting Fig. 2, it will be seen that the marginal flange 48 extends almost entirely around the two sides and top ofthe lever.33. This-margin; when placed in lengagement with the front n face of -the cover I0, will hold the lever in its normal position and will prevent too great an extent^of movement of the lever inwardly relative to the plane of the cover. When in this lnormal-position, the rear part of the depressed upper portion38 of the lever will bearranged within the control box or inwardly of the plane of the cover. The' forwardly projecting gripping edge portion'39 will be arranged forwardly of the plane of the cover.

Whenfthe lever is swung outwardly and downwardly. until its lower portion engages the front face ofthe lower part of the cover, the entire opening 'formed in the cover will be made available for actuating the push button I6 of the `switch I5 and for making repairs to this switch and theY electrical connections for the electric light bulb connected to the fixture 2I and positioned within the globe 20.

The shield I8 may have to be removed in case it is'necessary to service the switch I5. However, this shield will prevent the fingers of the person actuating the control from making con- The Y,

` tact with any energized portion of the switch.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 embodies two features of construction which are different: from those disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. The first difference deals with the sealed chamber or compartment in which the electric control device or mechanism is housed sothat moisture cannot reach the same and cause a short circuit which might cause a false operation of the device. The second feature deals with the means employed for fracturing the transparent plate and sweeping all of the broken fragments4 ofthe plate from the opening nor- 'mally closed by the same. The'detail" description coveringthe'structure of Figs. 6 and 7 will only be applied to thetwo modified features. All

, of the remaining structural elements or formations will'have applied thereto the same reference characters Vas have been applied'in connection with Figs; 1 to 5 inclusive so thatthe detail descriptionof .theseelements or structural formations given-in connection with-Figs.1 to 5 1 inclusivewill apply ,to Figs. 6 and 7.

The box bodyZ 5 is provided with a perfectly. plain rear wall 1a and :the top vwall 9a is flat insteadI of being. depressed. The bottom wall 6,

i, 'side walls 8: and topwall'Sa have formed integrally therewith a flange 41 which projects inwardly'from all` of these walls to provide aA seat from passing between the same. on,

forthe plate' 48 that is secured thereto by the screws, or the like, 49. A sealing gasket 50 is interposed between the'marginal portions of the plate 48 and'thegflange 41 to seal between these two members to prevent moisture, orV the like, The plate 48 is formed'with an opening 5I in which is mounted afcollarx..52 that. slidably` receives the operating `button 53 for the push button switch mechanism 54. A; packing gasket 55 ,encircles the push button 53 and bears against the rear flange 56 which forms a partfof the button. As the switch mechanism 54 is spring loaded, the operating button 53 will normally .be forced in an outward direc- @tion Vwhich' will .cause the packing gasket 55 to be clamped between .the ange 56 of the operating button.. and the rear face of; the, collar` 52 and plate 48. .'This; packing gasket, therefore, will provide a sealed joint betweenthe operating button and the plate48.

The topwall: 9afof the `box body is provided .withvarr opening .51 through; 'which passes` the portion' 58 of a porcelain socket or. receptacle 59. A clamping ring 66is threaded on the portion 58 of the said socket or receptacle and functions in the usual manner to clamp this common type of socket construction to the top wall. .An electric light bulb 6| is threaded intov the socket or receptacle 59.

A rubber packing ring 62 is formed with a base ange 63 that atly engages the top face of the top wall 9a. An upstanding flange 64 of this packing' ring is adapted to be fitted in the glass globe 65. The bottom edge of this red globe engages the base ange 63 of the rubber ring. A suitable guard 66 is fitted over the globe 65 and engages the top or upper portion of the latter. A suitable number of securing screws 61 pass through outwardly projecting ears formed on the bottom portion of the guard 66. Due to the engagement between the top portion of the guard and the top of the globe 66 and 65 respectively, the securing screws 61 for the guard may be employed for tightening down on the latter to cause the bottom edge of the globe 65 to be forced tightly against the base flange 63 of the rubber packing ring 62. The globe 65 and rubber packing ring 62, therefore, form awater-tight seal for the electric bulb 6|, its porcelain socket or receptacle 59, and the opening 51 formed in the top wall 9a of the box body.

The bottom wall 6 of the box is formed with an opening 68 through which the electric wires are passed. An internally threaded nipple 69 depends from the bottom wall 6 in register With the opening 68. A seat 1|) for a packing gasket washer is provided in the bore of the nipple 69 so that an electric wire conduit end may be threade'd into the nipple and seated against the gasket to seal the wire admitting opening 68.

The cover 1| for the front of the control box is hinged to the bottom wall 6 of the box body at 12 and is secured in place at its upper end by means of the two corner screws 13. An opening is formed in this cover 1| to accommodate the pull lever 14. This pull lever is provided with two relatively long, depending branches which are pivotally connected to ears, or the like, by pins 16. These ears are not kshown in Fig. 6 but project forwardly from the front wall portion 11 of the cover 1 I. The pins 16 pass through the ears 18 which are formed on the extremities of the long branches 15. Fig. '7 discloses these branches as being transversely spaced to provide an opening 19 which is dened at its two sides by the inner edges of the branches 15 and at its top by the edge 80.

It will be noted from the above description that this pull lever 14 differs from the pull lever 33 of the previously described mechanism by be-' ing mounted on the front of the cover 1| at points which are located below the bottom edge 8| of the opening formed in the cover. The top edge of this opening is designated by the reference character 82. In other words, the pull lever 14 is not pivotally connected to the cover 1| at the two lower corners of the opening formed in the cover.

The pull lever 14 is formed with an angular plate or arm 83 that projects inwardly and downwardly. The downwardly projecting portion of this plate or arm is bifurcated at 84 so that it can straddle the operating button 53.

This angular plate or arm 83 is so shaped that the curved portion 85 of the same will rst engage the upper edgeportion of the fracturable transparent plate 3| as the pull lever is swung outwardly about the pivot pins 16. This initial engagement of the angular plate or arm with the fracturable, transparent plate Will apply the force required to break the plate. The remainder of the angular plate or arm will engage and sweep from the opening in the cover 1| any broken fragments of the transparent plate so that no fragmentary portion will rem-ain to interfere with the operationof the push button 53. This angular plate or arm 83, therefore, performs the dual function of breaking the transparent plate and sweeping all broken fragments from the cover opening.

This plate 3| is mounted in the cover opening in substantially the same manner as is shown in the form of the invention illustrated inv Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. The only difference resides in the provision of corner projections 86 which take the place of the inwardly projecting portions of the hinge ears 29 shown in Fig. 1. It will be recalled that portions of these hinge ears were arranged in front of the transparent plate 3| so as to cooperate with the two side straps 32 to support the plate. The corner projections 86 of Fig. 6, also, cooperate with the side straps 32 to mount the transparent plate.

The remainder of the pull lever 14 is depressed or offset at 81 to provide a depression to receive the nger tips of the person operating the lever. A gripping edge 88 is formed as a top portion of the lever. A marginal flange 90 is formed along both sides and the top of the lever to overlap the marginal portion of the opening formed in the cover 1|. This marginal ange 90 and the lower portions of the branches 15 will engage the front face of the cover to limit inward pivotal movement of the lever relative to the cover. A spring pressed detent 9| functions to hold the lever in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 6. l

It will be appreciated that the covers ID and 1|, with their respective transparent plate fracturing and sweeping members, may be interchangeably associated with the two different types of box bodies. That is to say, the cover |0 with its pulllever 33 may be mounted on the box body of Fig. 6 while the cover 1| and its pull lever 14 may be mounted on the control box body of Figs. 1 and 2. Additionally, many different types of control devices may be mounted in the two boxes just so.

the different control devices are each provided with an operating button which may pass through the opening of the shield plate |8 of Fig. 2 and the sealing plate 48 of Fig. 6.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. A control box, comprising a body portion, a control device mounted in the body portion and including an operating member, a front cover forsaid body portion having an opening positioned to expose the operating member through a part thereof, a fracturable transparent plate closing the part of the cover opening exposing said operating member, a lever having a body portion shaped to provide an opening and a finger gripping portion above the opening, means for pivotally connecting the lower portion of the lever to the lower portion of said front cover so that its nger gripping portion will occupy a part of the cover opening above said transparent plate and its opening will expose the transparent plate when the lever is in its normal position, and means rigidly carried by the lever for breaking the transparent plate and sweeping the broken fragments from the cover opening to uncover the said operating member as a result of swinging of the lever outwardly from its normal position.

2. A control box, comprising a body portion, a control device mounted in the body portion and including an operating member, a front cover for said body portion having an opening positioned to expose the operating member through a part thereof, a fracturable transparent plate closing the part of the cover opening exposing said operating member, a lever having a body portion shaped to provide an opening and a nger gripping portion above the opening, means for pivotally connecting the lower portion of the lever to the lower portion of said front cover so that its finger gripping portion will occupy a part of the cover opening above said transparent plate and its opening will expose the transparent plate when the lever is in its normal position, and a bent arm rigidly carried by the lever and arranged to extend in back of the transparent plate for breaking the transparent plate and sweeping the broken fragments from the cover opening to uncover the said operating member as a result of swinging of the lever outwardly from its normal position.

3. A control box, comprising a body portion, a control device mounted in the body portion and including an operating member, a front cover for said body portion having an opening positioned to expose the operating member through a part thereof, a fracturable transparent plate closing the part of the cover opening exposing said operating member, a lever having a body portion shaped to provide an opening and a finger gripping portion above the opening, means for pivotally connecting the lower portion of the lever to the lower portion of said front cover so that its finger gripping portion will occupy a part of the cover opening above said transparent plate and its opening will expose the transparent plate when the lever is in its normal position, a bent arm rigidly carried by the lever and arranged to extend in back of the transparent plate for breaking the transparent plate and sweeping the broken fragments from the cover opening to uncover the said operating member as a result of swinging of the lever outwardly from its normal position, and means associated with the lever and the front cover for determining the normal position of the lever and releasably holding the lever in such position,

4. In a control box, a cover having an opening, a fracturable transparent plate closing a part of the cover opening, a lever having a body portion shaped to provide an opening and a finger gripping portion above the opening, means for pivotally connecting the lower portion of the lever to the lower portion of said cover so that its linger gripping portion will occupy a part of the cover opening above said transparent plate and its opening will expose the transparent plate when the lever is in its normal position with respect to the cover, and means rigidly carried by the lever for breaking the transparent plate and sweeping 'the broken fragments from the cover openingY as a result of swinging of the lever outwardly from its normal position.

CHARLES A. GETZ. EDWARD K. KUHLES. 

